Humboldt County's original baby boomers returned to Winnemucca Aug. 15-17 to celebrate each other, remember departed classmates and honor the community that gave them an energetic, supportive start to life. To say the reunion attendees had a good time would be an extreme understatement.
Of those who graduated in 1964 and remain alive, about half made it to this reunion. Many still reside in Humboldt County, along with goodly numbers in the Reno and Las Vegas. A smattering came from other Western states and beyond.
Di An Putnam, herself a member of the '64 class, welcomed classmates to her home on Friday, Aug. 15, for an informal dinner that started the weekend of festivities. Saturday opened with a picnic at Pioneer Park, followed by tours of the museum, Winnemucca Grammar School and Winnemucca Junior High - which was the high school in 1964. That evening, the reunion reconvened at the Martin Hotel for a cocktail hour and an excellent Basque dinner, followed by a raucous time at a street dance in the middle of downtown. Sunday morning, classmates gathered for breakfast and goodbyes at The Griddle, which dates to 1948 and thus has been around as long as they can remember. In numerous cases, the reunion offered classmates an opportunity to reconnect for the first time in half a century.
Most members of the Class of 1964 were born at Humboldt County General in 1946, the year after World War II ended. Most probably were delivered by Dr. Weiss or Dr. Hartock, the two mainstays of medical care in those days.
Those who lived in Winnemucca started kindergarten in 1951 at the old two-story brick school that sat adjacent to the "new" Winnemucca Grammar School. They were significant for being the first group of kindergartners numerous enough to require two classes, a morning group and an afternoon group. Those groupings held firm through the eighth grade. To this day, they can tell you whether they were in Mrs. Kibby's or Mrs. Seibert's first grade. Many can name every teacher they had up through Mr. Knight and Mrs. Weikel in the eighth grade. And even as kids, they thought Winnemucca Grammar School was a beautiful, welcoming place to study.
For this group, Albert Lowry wasn't the name of the high school; it was the name of their grammar school principal, to whom they were sent for correction if they misbehaved - although in reality he was the kindest of men, far less fearsome than his sister, math teacher Fern Elges.
When they reached high school, the Class of '64 grew to include those who had gone to grade school in McDermitt, Paradise Valley or one of the county's other small ranching or mining communities.
Winnemucca and Humboldt County truly went out of their way to ensure these youngsters and those before and after them had a good life in this small, remote desert community. The crop of kids born in '46 were among the first youngsters to enjoy the incredible Western Pacific-Shriners Circus Train, which carried children from Winnemucca (and a few other communities along the route) to Mackay Stadium at the University of Nevada in Reno for a Shrine Circus performance. Each year, on the day before the Circus Train departed, kids would gather at the Western Pacific rail yard (now the Union Pacific yard near the Humboldt River) to paint the Pullman cars with Tempera paint. Then, early the next morning they would board for their exciting circus day, returning to Winnemucca late at night. The entire Circus Train experience was an astonishing - and likely very expensive effort - by a railroad and a community to provide an experience these desert children might otherwise miss.
During summers, the Winnemucca kids had their magnificent swimming pool, which sat in a beautiful park of grass and cottonwoods at the corner of Melarkey St. and Winnemucca Blvd. in what is now Nixon Park. It was a kid magnet on hot summer afternoons.
As older children, members of the Class of '64 were offered opportunities to participate in highly celebrated musical programs at the grammar school and high school. Under the much-loved band director Lyman Bruce, the grammar school band numbered more than 100 members, and the high school band - featured at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley - was only slightly smaller.
Just as vigorous as the band program was the county 4-H program overseen by county agent Kirk Day and home agent Jean Johnson. Hundreds of kids across the county participated in everything from horse and cattle programs to cooking, gardening and woodworking.
Aside from the county fair and rodeo at Labor Day, the high point of the 4-H year was the annual August trek to camp at Lake Tahoe. To get there, a red DeLong Trucking cattle truck and trailer were employed. After truck and trailer were thoroughly hosed down, benches were tied inside the truck, and a canvas covering was added. Sleeping bags and suitcases went in the trailer. Enroute, the 4-Hers would proclaim loudly through Lovelock, Carson City and other towns, that, "We're from Humboldt and no one could be prouder, and if you don't believe us, we'll yell a little louder...."
Looking back 50 years, members of the Class of 1964 could only marvel at the impressive effort their parents and others in their community made to ensure they got a strong start in life. This small, remote community on the desert was, indeed, a terrific place to grow up.
In the intervening 50 years, members of the Class of '64 enjoyed all the triumphs and endured all the tragedies that go with life. Some got more of one, some more of the other. A few of their beloved classmates died along the way, and they were mourned at this gathering.
Mostly, though, this special 50th reunion - separate from the traditional all-class reunion held every five years - was a chance for those who attended to renew precious acquaintances and revisit the geography of their youth. It was, all agreed, a fantastic weekend in a fantastic place.
The organizing committee included:
Jean Sanders Beloso and Joe - Reno
Carol Doyle - Winnemucca
Greg and Mary Ann Foster - Winnemucca
Kathy McBride Graham and Rick - Winnemucca
Don Kihara - Milpitas, California
Cheryl Muir Mauchette - Las Vegas
Frankie Miller Peterson and Andy - Paradise Valley
Doris Phillips - Winnemucca
DiAn Shepard Putnam and Jeff - Winnemucca
Danny Shields - Eagle Pt., Oregon
Nita Stonestreet - Las Vegas
Wanda Olson Zuroff - Winnemucca
Others attending were:
Jon Kohlhaas - South Dakota, faculty
David Anderson and Roda Sing - Hamilton, Montana
Mickey Ballew and Kathie - Winnemucca
Kenton Bodily and Marilyn - Gig Harbor, Washington
Jim Boyd and Jetty St. John - Grand Marais, Minnesota
Roger Calvert - Reno
Herlinda Hernandez - Reno
Bud Hunt and Joyce - Wallowa, Oregon
Judy Jones - Winnemucca
Jerry Marcuerquiaga - Winnemucca
Jim Mehrten - Eldorado Hills, California
Chickie Nachiondo Schroeder - Boise, Idaho
Ann Marie Garijo Smith and Tom - Winnemucca
Dan Symmes and Jerilene - Highland, Utah
Julie Weikel - Princeton, Oregon
Snig Backus - Etna, Wyoming
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